Lagos Students Receive Sports Gear and Digital Tools Through Project 9-12

Students from 10 Lagos schools have received technology devices and sporting equipment through an initiative designed to combine youth development with environmental awareness and greater access to recreational opportunities.

The programme, known as Project 9-12, is in its third edition and was organised by JustUsed Tech alongside Passback. The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency and other partners also supported the initiative. Participating schools included institutions in Yaba, Fadeyi, Ebute-Metta, Ikorodu and other parts of Lagos.

Hazel Iwendi, Head of Operations and Programmes Lead at JustUsed Tech, said the project grew from concerns that many young people in communities have limited access to both digital resources and sporting equipment. The organisers therefore designed a programme that brings the two areas together, giving participants tools that can support learning while also encouraging physical activity.

Iwendi said the organisers intend to expand the programme beyond the first 10 participating schools. Future editions are expected to reach additional districts and communities, with eventual expansion to other states also planned.

Environmental education formed another part of the programme. Lagos State Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy Titilayo Oshodi said combining technology, community participation and activities that already appeal to young people could help strengthen their understanding of sustainability. She identified sport as a useful way of attracting the attention of younger audiences before introducing wider environmental messages.

Oshodi also encouraged responsible disposal of waste and explained that discarded materials can retain economic value when they are collected and recycled appropriately. She said Lagos is working towards a system in which government, communities and private businesses participate in waste collection, recycling and the creation of value from materials that might otherwise be discarded.

Olabisi Shonibare, Director of Partnerships, Grant Management and Innovations at the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, also welcomed the initiative. She highlighted electronic waste as an important environmental concern and encouraged residents to separate waste at the point of disposal so that recyclable materials can be properly processed.

Shonibare said connecting sustainability education with activities such as sport could make environmental messages easier for young participants to understand and remember. The programme therefore uses the distribution of equipment not only as a youth-support intervention, but also as an opportunity to introduce students to responsible waste management and recycling.

The third Project 9-12 edition brings together three areas that its organisers consider important to young people's development: access to digital tools, opportunities to participate in sport and practical awareness of environmental responsibility. Its planned expansion would extend that combination to more schools and communities beyond the current Lagos participants.